Probably.

Generally speaking, leaves haven't started falling off my trees yet, but you are a little further north. Also trees allowed to get too dry can go into dormancy earlier.

My guess is you're probably interested in these trees because they're extra cheap this time of year. But the disadvantages:

- Many times trees are mislabeled.

- No knowledge of who grew the tree.

- Rootstock unidentified.

- Sometimes pruned poorly, and takes time to correct.

- Sometimes rootbound.

The initial cost of a tree is generally very small compared to the future costs, labor and time associated with getting fruit from it. I'd recommend getting a peach, or three if you have the space, from a good nursery. You can get a good tree for 20 bucks, which is really pretty cheap.

C&O is currently running an internet special, 3 trees for 10 bucks a piece. They have a $10 boxing fee plus shipping. Including all the fees/shipping, I bought 3 peach trees for about 55 dollars. The internet special says it's for dwarf trees, but I didn't buy dwarfs.

Vaughn Nursery in Tenn has cheap trees. I've not heard anything bad about them, but I've never ordered from them before.

Yeah, I agree with olpea. Forget those HD trees. Go to a nursery and you'll never look back. Those trees they sell in pots the roots are so bound and twisted they will never root properly. You have to put them while they are dormant and untangle them by soaking in water e.t.c.

I had a spartan apple tree that was 2 years in the ground. I applied a little too much urea and it wilted and died... so I pulled out the tree by hand!
...mind you I have a strong grip, but the tree would have been rooted better if it was bareroot.

You don't know what rootstock it is on either...they are mislabeled too.

This is not the time of year I would be buying a fruit tree. In January bare root fruit trees will be available. They have been field grown and the root is clearly seen, allowing you to pick out a good one if you visit the nursery in person, or rely on the reputation of the nursery to only ship selected stock. Al

I think that there are some nurseries on the east coast that will ship bare roots in the fall.

But my suggestion is that you take the time to study peach trees and get just the right one for your area. That will involve ordering it from a reputable nursery and receiving it bare root, probably in the spring.

The potted fruit trees at the big box stores this time of year are trees that they have not been able to sell. Usually, they do not get the best of care, because it is not a professional nursery and they rely upon a clerk, who might or might not know anything about plants, to take care of them.

You will get a much better tree and have better luck by ordering just exactly what you want from a mail order nursery with a good reputation.

Some one who lives close to you can suggest a good root stock and name some peach varieties that grow well in your area.

Before you order, check the Garden Watchdog and the vendors feedback forum on Garden web, because some of the mail order nurseries should be avoided.

You will have the peach tree for many years, so make a little extra effort and get a really good one (you can't beat a tree ripened peach right off your own tree)

Typically places like HD have potted trees that start the season as bare roots which are severely cut back to fit in the pots. The pots are just big enough to keep the trees alive but the stress of their existence will have them defoliating early.

You can lift the roots out of the pots slightly to see if there is healthy white root- if they're all brown on the outside of the ball you'd be better ordering bare roots no matter how cheap HD is dumping them for. Unless you're on a very strict budget Opeahs advice is good in any case.

HD is my Hardware Store I am there every day buying something. But Trees Don't buy trees from them. They don't label it. Or at least they don't know what are they selling. They buy their trees from cheap nurseries at bulk and no one cares to label them. I bought A gala Apple trees from them and turned out to be crab Apple. I bought a Bartlet pears and only GOD knows what I have. They Have Good Hardware but not trees.

Actually a lot of their hardware kindof sucks. Don't ever buy plumbing supplies from them unless you really enjoy doing plumbing.

Not kinda sucks, really sucks. I don't know how many cheap things I have bought there that busted in no time. The last one was a replacement slide for a sliding closet door: I spent all this time installing it and it quickly started bending and breaking. Now I go on the Internet if I need something quality, the stuff is still out there. HD is good for many things, but you always have to be on the lookout for crap quality. And Lowes is unfortunately the same.

Scott

Big time crap quality folks...
I don't go near HD or Lowes for fruit trees.
Once you visit a nursery and see the good stuff you won't go back!

I'll stay away from them.

Thanks.

Bill

I should of asked what is C&O?

I'm usually on the lawn side of the website so I'm not familiar with over here.

Bill

C+O is a west coast fruit tree nursery that primarily sells to commercial growers but is willing to fill the small orders of a hobbyist. Trees are of high quality for the price.